Pack picks up Saturday

Read here. I think this makes sense (as long as it didn’t cost too much). Saturday is a veteran who is more likely to pick up McCarthy’s system in a short time period than a younger dude. He’s a good player and has demonstrated a solid ability to play center with a fast offensive mind at QB. As the article indicates this will buy us maybe a year or two before we need to find a longer term answer.

While I do like this move, I do find it odd that TT would do it. Saturday is 36 years old – and TT often steers clear of guys over 30. Center is a bit different position granted, but it still seems odd. This strikes me as a decision heavily influenced by McCarthy and Rodgers.

6 Responses to “Pack picks up Saturday”

Per reports from JSonline the Packers had offered Wells a contract in the range of $4m per year. Wells wanted top-5 C type money. The Rams gave it to him at $6.5 per year with a $13m guaranteed which is actually more then what Chris Meyers for to stay with the Texans who by all accts is a better player. You really can’t blame TT for letting Wells go for that kind of money especially considering the # of quality centers on the market this year. Very similar to what occurred with Colledge a year ago. TT just wasn’t going to pay top-tier money to players like Colledge and Wells but Colledge and Wells guessed correctly that someone else would and turned good money from the Packers to get great money from someone else.

Saturday received a two year deal which will mean less guaranteed money then Wells received. It’ll be interesting to see how much Saturday makes in year 1 and if it approaches the $6.5 million that Wells will receive in yr 1. Regardless, this is clearly a signing to bye the Packers some time to draft and develop a new long term answer at C.

It’s considered surprising that Saturday did not choose to join his former QB Manning in Denver. But perhaps Manning’s presence there actually worked against them signing Saturday. It would not be a super stretch to suspect that Saturday had grown tired of Manning’s childish outbursts (as has been commented on by Packergeeks) and wanted to try out life with Rodgers.

Either way, I’m glad we have an experienced hand at the C position. I expect this will go down as a very good signing.